Photos: Vancouver among the world's 10 greenest cities

Carlos Goulao, Flickr11.08.2010

10. Copenhagen There’s a reason so many climate-change conferences are held in Copenhagen. The city, famous for its ambitious public transportation system, has also done wonders with its waterfront (by keeping it clean) and windmills (from which it derives 10 per cent of its energy) – accomplishments that earned the Danish capital the 2006 European Environmental Award. Visit The Mark to vote for Canada's greenest city

Carlos Goulao
/ Flickr

9. Portland, Oregon Thirty years ago Portland turned the famous Joni Mitchell song on its head by sodding over pavement and putting up a paradise. Long among America’s greenest cities, Portland demolished a six-lane highway and replaced it with a waterfront park. The city aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent over 1990 levels by 2050; and its greenness isn’t only figurative – Portland contains over 92,000 acres of green space. Visit The Mark to vote for Canada's greenest cityDavid Gn
/ Flickr

8. Montreal Since the signing of the 1987 Montreal Protocol to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, La Belle Ville has been counted as one of Canada’s villes plus verte. Montrealers have no excuse not to go green: the many large open-air markets offer a wide array of local, organic foods, while the ambitious Bixi bike-sharing program, which provides 3,000 bicycles across the city, makes it easy for residents to just say “non” to cars. Visit The Mark to vote for Canada's greenest cityGaetan Bourque
/ Flickr

7. London, England London has come a long way since the sooty days of the industrial revolution. With a plan to cut CO2 emissions by 60 per cent over the next 20 years, incentives for citizens who live in energy-efficient homes, and congestion taxes that target gas guzzlers and reward eco-friendly automobiles, the European Union’s largest metropolis is also among its greenest. Visit The Mark to vote for Canada's greenest cityPhilipp Klinger
/ Flickr

6. Curitiba, Brazil The Curitiba Master Plan, adopted in 1968, established a revolutionary intra-city bus system, including dedicated lanes and super-stretch buses, that has since influenced public transportation approaches throughout South America. Eighty-five per cent of the city’s population take the bus on a regular basis, 70 per cent of its trash is recycled, and with 52 metres of green space per citizen, Curitiba is considered Brazil’s ecological capital. Visit The Mark to vote for Canada's greenest cityCarlos Moraes
/ Flickr

5. Reykjavik The sparsely populated Icelandic capital, which aims to be fossil-fuel-free by 2050, already satisfies its extensive heating needs by drawing on a combination of hot water and electricity derived entirely from renewable hydropower and geothermal sources. The city has also found a way to make public transportation even greener: Reykjavik recently introduced hydrogen-run buses. Visit The Mark to vote for Canada's greenest cityTrey Ratcliff
/ Flickr

4. Vienna It’s not only because it’s home to the waltz and psychoanalysis that Vienna is perennially listed among the world’s most livable cities. More than half of the Austrian capital’s metropolitan area is green space, its shorelines have been carefully restored, and the public transportation system is one of Europe’s best. Visit The Mark to vote for Canada's greenest city
/ Flickr

3. Tokyo One of the world’s most densely populated cities, Tokyo still manages to keep things remarkably clean and green. The Japanese capital was recently selected to participate in a billion-dollar project, spearheaded by the Clinton Global Initiative, to increase the energy efficiency of city-owned buildings in an effort to reduce CO2 emissions. Meanwhile, 200 hectares of green space and more than 200,000 roadside trees will be added to the city centre over the coming years. Visit The Mark to vote for Canada's greenest cityAltus
/ Flickr

2. Vancouver An urban area carved from an awe-inspiring landscape, it’s no wonder Vancouver is dedicated to protecting the environment. As part of the city’s 100-year plan for environmentally friendly living, the British Columbia city has adopted solar-powered trash compactors, developed an innovative public transportation system, and reduced its reliance on non-renewable energy to 10 per cent. The city also contains more than 200 parks. Visit The Mark to vote for Canada's greenest citybitmask
/ Flickr

1. Malmo Sweden’s third largest city is undergoing the world’s most ambitious green makeover. By drawing on a combination of sun, wind, and hydropower, as well as biofuels generated from organic waste, Malmo plans to be running on 100 per cent renewable energy by 2020. Already the city has the cooperation of its citizens: 35 per cent of the population travel by bicycle, and many live in smart-energy homes. Visit The Mark to vote for Canada's greenest cityLoozrboy
/ Flickr

Photos: Vancouver among the world's 10 greenest cities

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